Follow-up study of over three years of patients with uveitis after cataract phacoemulsification: outcomes and complications

Purpose: To evaluate the rate and onset of intraoperative and postoperative complications post-phacoemulsification. Methods: One hundred sixty-two eyes of 145 patients with uveitis who underwent phacoemulsification between 2006 and 2009 were identified through surgical record review. Fifty-nine eyes of 46 patients met the inclusion criteria. Hazard ratio (HR) and Kaplan-Meier survival probability were calculated for each class of uveitis. Results: Macular edema (ME) resulted to be associated to chronic postoperative inflammation (r = 0.6; p = 0.00) and mostly related to patients who presented more than one postoperative relapse/year (r = 0.2; p = 0.02). Fuchs uveitis resulted to be a risk factor for posterior capsule opacification (PCO) (HR 3.36 IC95%1.0-10.5; p = 0.03). Hypotony and elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) were detected in the anterior uveitis group (0.02 EY). Conclusion: The HR to develop ME was significantly related to chronic anterior uveitis. PCO and elevated IOP are

X-linked dominant RPGR gene mutation in a familial Coats angiomatosis

Background: Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) is the most frequent retinal hereditary disease and every kind of transmission pattern has been described. The genetic etiology of RP is extremely heterogeneous and in the last few years the large application of Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) approaches improved the diagnostic yield, elucidating previously unexplained RP causes and new genotype-phenotype correlations. The objective of this study was to reevaluate a previously reported family affected by Coats’-type RP without genetic diagnosis and to describe the new genetic findings. Case presentation: Cohort, prospective, and single-center observational family case. Three individuals of a family, consisting of a mother and four sons, with a Coats phenotype were revaluated after 25 years of clinical follow-up using visual acuity tests, ophthalmoscopy, Goldmann visual field, electroretinography (ERG), and spectral domain-optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Specifically, a RP NGS panel was performed on one member of the family and segregation analysis was required for the other affected and unaffected members. NGS analysis disclosed a RPGR (Retinitis Pigmentosa GTPase Regulator) gene truncating variant segregating with the phenotype in all the three affected members. RPGR mutations are reported as causative of an X-linked RP. Conclusions: This is the first reported family with a Coats’-type RP associated to a RPGR mutation and segregating as a dominant X-linked disease, confirming the hypothesis of the genetic origin of this condition and expanding the phenotypic spectrum of diseases caused by RPGR gene mutations. The Authors suggest RPGR gene screening mutations in patients presenting this phenotype

REAÇÕES DE CRIANÇAS E ADOLESCENTES SUBMETIDOS À ANALGESIA TÓPICA LOCAL NA PUNÇÃO VENOSA PERIFÉRICA.

El objeto del estudio es la reacción del cliente sometido a analgesia tópica local en el período anterior, durante y después de la punción venosa periférica. El objetivo es conocer estas reacciones y evaluar la eficacia de la medicina. Fue utilizado el método cualitativo y los instrumentos para la producción de los datos fueron la observación participante y la entrevista semiestructurada. El lugar fue el Hospital de Día Pediátrico en el Hospital dos Servidores do Estado. Los sujetos son 12 clientes de 5 a 18 años que con sus cuidadores habían sido informados de las etapas del procedimiento. Antes de la punción, el 84% de los sujetos dijeron que tenían miedo del procedimiento, el 16% había demostrado tranquilidad y había dicho no sentir miedo. Durante la punción el 58% había cooperado, mientras que el 42% había necesitado la contención física por la madre. Después del procedimiento, 100% hablaron no haber sentido dolor. Se concluye que tiene eficacia la analgesia, pero que los períodos pre y trans-punción habían sido traumáticos. El razonamiento inductivo nos ha hecho reflexionar sobre la necesidad de evaluar los factores causales que habían llevado a niños a la sensación de miedo y a necesitar de la contención física por la madre, incluso después de haber recibido las explicaciones de la enfermera sobre el procedimiento.O objeto de estudo é a reação do cliente submetido à analgesia tópica local, nos períodos pré, trans e pós-punção venosa periférica. O objetivo é conhecer estas reações e avaliar a eficácia do medicamento. Foi utilizada a abordagem qualitativa e os instrumentos para produção dos dados foram a observação participante e entrevista semi-estruturada. O cenário foi o Hospital Dia Pediátrico do Hospital dos Servidores do Estado. Os sujeitos são 12 clientes de 5 à 18 anos que com seus cuidadores foram informados sobre as etapas do procedimento. Antes da punção 84% dos sujeitos verbalizaram medo do procedimento, 16% demonstraram tranqüilidade e disseram não sentir medo. Durante a punção 58% cooperaram, enquanto 42% necessitaram de contenção física pela mãe. Após o procedimento 100% verbalizaram não terem sentido dor. Conclui-se que há eficácia na analgesia, mas que os períodos pré e trans-punção foram traumáticos. O raciocínio indutivo nos fez refletir que há necessidade de avaliarmos os fatores causais que levaram as crianças a sentir medo e necessitarem de contenção física pela mãe, mesmo após receberem as explicações da enfermeira sobre o procedimento

Positive effects of Nordic Walking on anthropometric and metabolic variables in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objectives. — Lack of physical activity predisposes people to chronic diseases including diabetes mellitus, obesity, and coronary artery diseases. Identifying forms of physical activity is warranted for prevention of these chronic diseases. Daily exercise has also been considered a significant contributing factor in the management of type 2 diabetes. Nordic Walking is shown to be easy to teach and learn, simple and adaptable to subjects with diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Nordic Walking allows training of about 90% of body muscles in the active propulsion phase, thus increasing energy expenditure by 30 to 50%. Aim of our study was to evaluate the effects of Nordic Walking structured training in a group of female patients with type 2 diabetes, looking at changes in anthropometric, metabolic and bioelectrical variables pre- and post-activities. A follow-up of 6 months after the end of the program was also performed. Equipment and methods. — Twenty women with type 2 diabetes, aged 40—65 years, were enrolled. The participants were randomized in two groups: (1) 10 women in the Nordic Walking active gr

Serafino Zappacosta: An Enlightened Mentor and Educator

With this article, the authors aim to honor the memory of Serafino Zappacosta, who had been their mentor during the early years of their career in science. The authors discuss how the combination of Serafino Zappacosta's extraordinary commitment to teaching and passion for science created a fostering educational environment that led to the creation of the “Ruggero Ceppellini Advanced School of Immunology.” The review also illustrates how the research on the MHC and the inspirational scientific context in the Zappacosta's laboratory influenced the authors' early scientific interests, and subsequent professional work as immunologists

Interferon-inducible gene 202b controls CD8+ T cell-mediated suppression in anti-DNA Ig peptide-treated (NZB × NZW) F1 lupus mice

Administration of an artificial peptide (pConsensus) based on anti-DNA IgG sequences that contain major histocompatibility complex class I and class II T-cell determinants, induces immune tolerance in NZB/NZW F1 female (BWF1) mice. To understand the molecular basis of CD8+ Ti-mediated suppression, we previously performed microarray analysis to identify genes that were differentially expressed following tolerance induction with pCons. CD8+ T cells from mice tolerized with pCons showed more than two-fold increase in Ifi202b mRNA, an interferon inducible gene, versus cells from untolerized mice. Ifi202b expression increased through weeks 1–4 after tolerization and then decreased, reapproaching baseline levels at 6 weeks. In vitro polyclonal activation of tolerized CD8+ T cells significantly increased Ifi202b mRNA expression. Importantly, silencing of Ifi202b abrogated the suppressive capacity of CD8+ Ti cells. This was associated with decreased expression of Foxp3, and decreased gene and protein expression of transforming growth factor (TGF)β and interleukin-2 (IL-2), but not of interferon (IFN)-γ, IL-10, or IL-17. Silencing of another IFN-induced gene upregulated in tolerized CD8+ T cells, IFNAR1, had no effect on the ability of CD8+ T cells to suppress autoantibody production. Our findings indicate a potential role for Ifi202b in the suppressive capacity of peptide-induced regulatory CD8+ Ti cells through effects on the expression of Foxp3 and the synthesis of TGFβ

High-density neutrophils in MGUS and multiple myeloma are dysfunctional and immune-suppressive due to increased STAT3 downstream signaling

To understand neutrophil impairment in the progression from MGUS through active MM, we investigated the function of mature, high-density neutrophils (HDNs), isolated from peripheral blood. In 7 MM, 3 MGUS and 3 healthy subjects by gene expression profile, we identified a total of 551 upregulated and 343 downregulated genes in MM-HDN, involved in chemokine signaling pathway and FC-gamma receptor mediated phagocytosis conveying in the activation of STAT proteins. In a series of 60 newly diagnosed MM and 30 MGUS patients, by flow-cytometry we found that HDN from MM, and to a lesser extend MGUS, had an up-regulation of the inducible FcγRI (also known as CD64) and a down-regulation of the constitutive FcγRIIIa (also known as CD16) together with a reduced phagocytic activity and oxidative burst, associated to increased immune-suppression that could be reverted by arginase inhibitors in co-culture with lymphocytes. In 43 consecutive newly-diagnosed MM patients, who received first-line treatment based on bortezomib, thalidomide and dexamethasone, high CD64 could identify at diagnosis patients with inferior median overall survival (39.5 versus 86.7 months, p = 0.04). Thus, HDNs are significantly different among healthy, MGUS and MM subjects. In both MGUS and MM neutrophils may play a role in supporting both the increased susceptibility to infection and the immunological dysfunction that leads to tumor progression

OS ASPECTOS CULTURAIS NA HISTÓRIA DE VIDA DE MÃES COM SÍFILIS: A ENFERMAGEM DESVENDANDO AS INFLUÊNCIAS PARA O CUIDADO.

This study appeared when we knew from Silva (2003) and we read a complete life story of pregnant women of a proper place to treat their children with congenit syphilis. It is an exploratory story based on a qualitative method to search the objectives such as: to identify the cultural influences in a life story of mothers with syphilis and to discuss the involved mothers’ culture with syphilis the nursing care. The evidence results in various influencies that marked the cultures, expressed by the pregnant women that transmitted syphilis to their children during gestation we established In this sense, we conclude that is indispensable that the nurse, during his daily practice of caring pays attention to the cultural factor, influencing all the dimension of a human being, included on the body he cares for and is cared for.Este estudio proviene del trabajo de Silva (2003), en el que describe el autor la historia de vida de las puérperas internadas en alojamiento conjunto para tratamiento de sus hijos con sífilis congénita. Tratase de un estudio exploratorio que utilizó el método cualitativo para alcanzar los objetivos siguientes: identificar las influencias de la cultura en la historia de vida de madres con sífilis; clasificar los tipos de factores culturales que influyen en las madres con sífilis, y discutir las implicaciones de la cultura de madres con sífilis para el cuidado de enfermería. Los resultados evidenciaron que las influencias culturales diversas, explicitadas por las investigadas, influyeron en las puérperas que transmitieron la sífilis a sus hijos en el periodo gestacional. Por lo tanto, es imprescindible que la enfermera, en su práctica diaria de cuidar tenga en cuenta la amplitud del factor cultural, así como que en el cuerpo del que cuida y que recibe los cuidados, coexiste un individuo con sus creencias y verdades.Este estudo surgiu a partir do trabalho de Silva (2003), no decorrer do qual a autora descreve a história de vida de puérperas internadas em alojamento conjunto para tratamento de seus filhos com sífilis congênita. Trata-se de um estudo exploratório que se utilizou do método qualitativo para atingir os seguintes objetivos: Identificar as influências da cultura na história de vida de mães com sífilis; Classificar os tipos de fatores culturais que influenciam as mães com sífilis, e Discutir as implicações da cultura de mães com sífilis para o cuidado de enfermagem. Os resultados evidenciaram que diversas influências culturais, explicitadas pelas pesquisadas, influenciaram as puérperas que transmitiram sífilis para seus filhos no período gestacional. Portanto, é indispensável que a enfermeira, durante sua prática diária de cuidar, atente para a abrangência do fator cultural e leve em conta que no corpo que cuida e que recebe cuidado, coexiste um indivíduo com suas crenças e verdades

The Fundamental Plane of Early Type Galaxies in Nearby Clusters from the WINGS Database

By exploting the data of three large surveys (WINGS, NFPS and SDSS), we present here a comparative analysis of the Fundamental Plane (FP hereafter) of the early-type galaxies (ETGs) belonging to 59 galaxy clusters in the redshift range $0.04<z<0.07$. We show that the variances of the distributions of the FP coefficients derived for the clusters in our sample are not consistent with the hypothesis of universality of the FP relation. By investigating the origin of such remarkable variances we find that, besides a couple of obvious factors, such as the adopted fitting technique and the method used to measure the photometric and kinematic variables, the coefficients of the FP are strongly influenced by a number of things, mainly related to the distribution of photometric/kinematic properties of galaxies in the particular sample under analysis. For instance, the $a$ coefficient derived for the whole sample of ETGs, turns out to decrease when faint galaxies are progressively removed from the sample, suggesting that bright and faint ETGs have systematically different FPs, likely because of different mechanisms of galaxy formation. In general, by comparing mock cluster samples with the real one, we conclude that the observed variances of the FP coefficients cannot be attributed just to statistical uncertainties. We speculate that the FP is actually a bent surface, which is approximated by different planes when different selection criteria, either chosen or induced by observations, are acting to define galaxies samples. We also find ...Comment: 51 pages, 18 figures, ApJ submitte